Bed spring assembly



March 26, 1963 28 FIG-.12 J, b v

United btates Patent 3,i32,438 BED SPPIG ASSEMBLY Fred A. Nachrnan, in, Chicago, EL, assignor to Nash-man Corpora ion, (lineage, llh, a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 88,414 marinas. (Cl. 5-353) This invention relates to spring assemblies and it relates more particularly to a bed spring or a spring for an inner spring mattress which is characterized by a greater resiliency and stiffness in the edge construction coupled with greater resiliency and stiffness in the body portion without increase in cost of the spring assembly from the standpoint of the additional usage of stiffening or re-enforcing members without loss of the ability of the spring assembly to retain a relatively uniformly fiat surface.

It is an object of this invention to produce a spring assembly characterized by improved resiliency and stiffness both in the edge construction and in the body portion, and it is a related object to achieve the improved resiliency and stiffness merely by the construction and arrangement of the spring elements as distinguished from the additions of stifiening and ire-enforcing members, as heretofore practiced.

Another object is to produce a new and improved bed spring assembly formed of relatively low cost and readily available materials which are easily assembled into a strong and sturdy spring assembly having good feel and resiliency throughout the entire area thereof including the edge portions as well as the body portion and which retains its resiliency and feel over great periods of actual use by comparison with present spring constructions.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a bed spring assembly embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 2-4. of PEG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective elevational view of a Marshall type spring unit employed in the spring assembly embodying the features of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a modification of a border wire in the form of a flat band.

The concepts of this invention are embodied in a coil spring assembly formed of a plurality of coil springs 19, most of which are arranged in rows 12 and 14 extending lengthwise and crosswise between vertically spacedapart, upper and lower border wire members 16 and 18 respectively. The border wires are aligned with the upper and lower terminal coils of the outermost coil springs.

All of the coil springs with the exception of the outermost coil spring 2% are confined within cells 22 formed of textile or the like fabric 24 into compartments having a cross section corresponding to or slightly greater than the confined coil springs and a height less than the height of the confined coil springs when in their relaxed state so that each of the coil springs will be confined in a tensioned relationship within each of the cells. The described construction wherein the coil springs it} are confined within cells 22 of smaller dimension to form the body portion of the spring assembly is generally referred to in the trade as Marshall type units, more fully described in the United States Patent No. 2,790,979.

The Marshall units may be separately formed into individual cells which are aligned in the lengthwise and crosswise rows and joined one to the other in the as- "ice sembled relation as by staples 26, stitching or the like fastening means to interconnect the top and bottom terminal coils of the adjacent coil springs, as illustrated in the figures. Instead, the Marshall type units can be preformed into rows wherein a plurality of coil springs are arranged in the desired spaced relationship within lengths of fabric which are then stitched together between the coil springs to provide pockets within which the coil springs are retained in a compressed state, and after which the rows can be aligned for cross connection between terminal coils of adjacent coil springs to interconnect the rows into a spring assembly. It will be understood that when formed of individual cells or rows of cells, the cells can be staggered between rows, such for example as when a higher spring count is desired for greater stiffness, support or resiliency.

In accordance with the concepts of this invention, a plurality of coil springs 26 free of the fabric enclosures are arranged about the perimeter of the assembled Marshall unit for location between the Marshall section and the border wires 16 and 18. The outer coil springs 20 are of a height corresponding to the height of the Marshall units and they may be of the same cross section for alignment with the rows of the coil springs forming the body portion of the spring assembly, but it is preferred to make use of coil springs 2% having a height slightly greater than the height of the Marshall units so that where such outer coil springs are compressed upon effecting an improved engagement with the border wire the height of the outer coil spring 20 will correspond with the height of the Marshall unit to produce a relatively uniformly fiat surface'in the assembly. It is preferred, however, that the outermost coil springs 20 be of larger dimension and formed of spring wire of heavier gauge for greater stiffness and resiliency. When formed of larger dimension, the coil springs cannot be aligned with each row but instead are preferably aligned with alternate rows or other suitable spacing, as illustrated in PEG. 1.

The construction makes use of a pair of upper and lower, outer border frame members positioned to extend as a chord across the terminal coils of the outer coil springs 28, and preferably in a position vertically to be aligned with the coil of smallest diameter in the coil springs (if of hourglass or the like shape) or otherwise to be aligned with the main concentration of spring coils thereby vertically to accept the main concentrations of force deforming the coil springs. Spaced inwardly from the pair of outer border frame members 16 is another pair of upper and lower inner border frame members -19 positioned adjacent the inner edge of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs as and adjacent the outer edges of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs of the Marshall unit.

The outer periphery of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs of the Marshall unit and the inner periphery of the terminal coils of the coil springs 20 are each connected to the inner border frame members 19, as by means of staples or the like joining means, but it is preferred to make use of helical tie wires 23 which encircle the border frame members and are threaded about the adjacent inner and outer portions of the adjacent springs 24 and the Marshall unit respectively to interconnect the adjacent coil springs one with another and the border frame member 19.

The outer border frame members 16 and the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs 20 are interconnected in a means to provide an improved edge construction which, in combination with the inner border frame members and coil springs connected thereto provide a stiffness and resiliency in the edge construction which makes it unnecessary to make use of adjunctive means for resiliency and support. In the assembly, the portion 28 of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs extending beyond the outer border frame members and wrapped about the border frame members to efiect a firm interconnection therebetween. By arrangement of the border frame members to extend across the terminal coils of the coil spring as a chord, the border frame member is positioned in operative alignment with the principal lines of force generated by the coil springs, especially when the border frame members overlie at least a portion of the coil of smallest dimension within the outermost coil springs. This provides for greater resistance to deformation in the edge construction thereby to achieve an effect sought to be secured by the objectionable usage of auxiliary spring elements such as spring arms vertically arranged between the border frame members to stiffen the edge portion of the assembly.

If the border frame members were tied to the outer portions of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs at their outer edge portions, the edge construction of the spring assembly would be soft and excessively depressed under the slightest loads. When interconnected in accordance with the concepts of this invention, the coil springs are tied in more completely with the border frame members in a manner which resists displacement and in a manner which is capable of maintaining the desired assembled relationship notwithstanding the direction of applied force. it will be apparent further that the location of the border frame members in a more effective relationship with respect to the coil springs of the assembly will enhance the reaction of the spring assembly to the application of load from various directions for greater resiliency and better feel.

The construction wherein the inner border frame members 19 connect the Marshall unit to the inner periphery of the outer coil springs results in a marked improvement in the spring assembly from the standpoint of strength, resiliency, and longevity of service. The combination of inner and outer border frame members 16 and 19 contributes the bifold function of balancing the outer upper and lower border frame members relative to the spring coils 20 while concurrently supplying a more rigid frame reference for the interior Marshall unit. The combined construction provides a spring assembly characterized not only by improved edge construction and improved body construction but also by improved interrelationship therebetween.

The combined operation of the inner Marshall portion of the spring assembly and the described edge construction results in a multiple coil spring assembly which embodies the beneficial aspects of the Marshall type construction while being free of the weaknesses characteristic thereof and which simultaneously provides the beneficial aspects of an improved edge construction which is not restricted to the specific saddle type coils heretofore employed.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to coil springs'of a particular shape or gauge and that use can be made of border frame members of round or flattened lengths of spring Wire, plastics, wood and the like and that various other types of fastening means may be employed for joining the Marshall type units one to the other. a

' It will be apparent that I have provided an improved spring assembly having improvements in the edge construction comprising the external spring portion, in the construction of the body portion comprising the internal spring portion,'and especially in the interconnecting of these respective spring portions, which become so interrelated as beneficially to affect one another without destroying any of the desirable characteristics of the separate complements.

It will be further understood that various changes may be made in terms of construction, arrangement and opera- 4 tion without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims:

I claim:

1. A multiple coil spring assembly comprising an internal spring portion and an external spring portion, said internal spring portion comprising a plurality of coil springs arranged in cross-wise and length-Wise rows, a resilient enclosure forming a cell for each of said coil springs dimensioned to have a cross section greater than the cross section of the coil springs and a height less than the relaxed normal height of the coil springs, whereby said coil springs are retained within said cells in a compressed state, and means interconnecting said cells in the arranged length-wise and cross-wise rows, said external spr ng portion comprising a plurality of coil springs perunetrically arranged about the internal spring portion in side by side relationship therewith, a pair of upper and lower border frame members positioned to extend as a chord across the terminal coils of the coil springs in the outer spring portion to subdivide said coils into an inwardly extending portion and an outwardly extending portion, the latter of which is wrapped about the border frame member to effect interconnection between said border frame members and the coil springs in the outer spring portion with the border frame members vertically aligned with a central portion of the coil springs in the outer spring portion, another pair of upper and lower border frame members disposed adjacent the terminal coils between the outer spring portion and the inner spring portion, whereby said border frame members are disposed adjacent the outer portion of the outermost coil spring in the inner spring portion and adjacent the inner portion of the terminal coils of the coil springs in the outer spring portion, and means interconnecting the adjacent portions of the outer terminal coils of the outermost coil springs in the inner spring portion and the adjacent inner portion of the terminal coils of the outer spring portion with the other border frame members to effect an interconnection between the internal spring portion and the outer spring portion through said other border frame members.

2. A coil spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the coil springs in the outer spring portion are dimensioned to have a height, in the relaxed state, which is greater than the height of the cells forming the internal spring portion, but which are dimensioned to have a height corresponding to the cells when joined to the outer border frame members.

3 A coil spring assembl as claimed in claim 1, in which the border frame members comprise fiat bands of spring metal.

4. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the means interconnecting the inner border frame members and the outer portions of the outermost coils of the internal spring portion and the inner portion of the terminal coils of the outer spring portion comprises helical tie wires encircling the inner border frame members and the adjacent portions of the inner spring portion and outer spring portion.

5. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the coil springs of the outer spring portion are formed of spring wire having a heavier gauge than the coil springs in the inner spring portion.

6. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the coil springs of the outer spring portion are inearly aligned with alternate rows of coil springs in the inner spring portion.

7. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the border frame members are spaced inwardly from the outer edge of the terminal coils of the coil springs in the outer spring portion by an amount less than the diameter of the terminal coils.

8. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, which the coil springs of the outer spring portion are of hour glass shape and in which the border frame members cx- 3,082,438 5 6 tend as a chord across the terminal coils in substantially relation-ship and in which the fabric is stitched between vertical alignment with the outer edge of the coil of the coil springs to define separate cells.

smallest diameter in the hour glass coil springs.

9. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which References Cited the file of thls P the compressed coil springs in the inner spring portion 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS are separately housed within the separate enclosures. 1,051,466 Travis km 28, 1913 10. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which 1,087,243 Lewis F611 17 1 the enclosures housing the compressed coil springs com- 2 4 79 Tmtta et July 23 193 prise elongate strips of a fabric material in which the 2,715 435 Rymland Aug 15, 1955 coil springs are arranged in longitudinally spaced apart 10 2,885,693 Wuest May 12, 1959 

1. A MULTIPLE COIL SPRING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN INTERNAL SPRING PORTION AND AN EXTERNAL SPRING PORTION, SAID INTERNAL SPRING PORTION COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF COIL SPRINGS ARRANGED IN CROSS-WISE AND LENGTH-WISE ROWS, A RESILIENT ENCLOSURE FORMING A CELL FOR EACH OF SAID COIL SPRINGS DIMENSIONED TO HAVE A CROSS SECTION GREATER THAN THE CROSS SECTION OF THE COIL SPRINGS AND A HEIGHT LESS THAN THE RELAXED NORMAL HEIGHT OF THE COIL SPRINGS, WHEREBY SAID COIL SPRINGS ARE RETAINED WITHIN SAID CELLS IN A COMPRESSED STATE, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID CELLS IN THE ARRANGED LENGTH-WISE AND CROSS-WISE ROWS, SAID EXTERNAL SPRING PORTION COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF COIL SPRINGS PERIMETRICALLY ARRANGED ABOUT THE INTERNAL SPRING PORTION IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, A PAIR OF UPPER AND LOWER BORDER FRAME MEMBERS POSITIONED TO EXTEND AS A CHORD ACROSS THE TERMINAL COILS OF THE COIL SPRINGS IN THE OUTER SPRING PORTION TO SUBDIVIDE SAID COILS INTO AN INWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION AND AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION, THE LATTER OF WHICH IS WRAPPED ABOUT THE BORDER FRAME MEMBER TO EFFECT INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN SAID BORDER FRAME MEMBERS AND THE COIL SPRINGS IN THE OUTER SPRING PORTION WITH THE BORDER FRAME MEMBERS VERTICALLY ALIGNED WITH A CENTRAL PORTION OF THE COIL SPRINGS IN THE OUTER SPRING PORTION, ANOTHER PAIR OF UPPER AND LOWER BORDER FRAME MEMBERS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE TERMINAL COILS BETWEEN THE OUTER SPRING PORTION AND THE INNER SPRING PORTION, WHEREBY SAID BORDER FRAME MEMBERS ARE DISPOSED ADJACENT THE OUTER PORTION OF THE OUTERMOST COIL SPRING IN THE INNER SPRING PORTION AND ADJACENT THE INNER PORTION OF THE TERMINAL COILS OF THE COIL SPRINGS IN THE OUTER SPRING PORTION, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE OUTER TERMINAL COILS OF THE OUTERMOST COIL SPRINGS IN THE INNER SPRING PORTION AND THE ADJACENT INNER PORTION OF THE TERMINAL COILS OF THE OUTER SPRING PORTION WITH THE OTHER BORDER FRAME MEMBERS TO EFFECT AN INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN THE INTERNAL SPRING PORTION AND THE OUTER SPRING PORTION THROUGH SAID OTHER BORDER FRAME MEMBERS. 